Outdated RC transmitter turns into new MIDI controller

Should you’re going to supply digital music on a PC, you want some kind of enter software. That can be your keyboard and mouse, however most producers favor to make use of a devoted MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controller. That may present a extra intuitive and environment friendly expertise. As an alternative of shopping for one thing new, HYPRREAL turned a ’70s Futaba RC transmitter right into a MIDI controller.

RC transmitters, just like the classic Futaba mannequin used for this challenge, are controllers for RC autos like planes and automobiles. Whereas low-cost toy RC autos have a tendency to come back with devoted transmitters, high-end autos work with common transmitters like this one. They’re of a better high quality and can be utilized with all of the autos in a hobbyist’s assortment. Being an older mannequin, this unit was fairly easy. It solely had two potentiometer joysticks and some sliders. To develop its functionality, HYPRREAL added a number of extra potentiometers.

An Arduino board displays all the potentiometers through multiplexers. It runs a MIDI controller library, so it could ship MIDI messages to a pc related via a USB cable. So far as the pc is anxious, the related machine is simply a regular MIDI controller. Which means that it’s going to work with any MIDI software program and HYPRREAL solely needed to configure the completely different controls inside that software program. The result’s a helpful MIDI controller in a really enticing retro package deal.